MURRAY, Ky. – In both games Friday, the Tennessee Tech softball team collected clutch hits to tie Murray State late and send the contests into extra innings.

 

But once the games got there, each one went in separate directions as the Golden Eagles added two runs in the eighth inning of game one to take a 3-2 victory, then the Racers collected a walk-off run in the bottom of the eighth in game two to earn a 3-2 win of their own.

 

Tennessee Tech (14-25, 7-5 Ohio Valley Conference) returns to action Wednesday with a single game at Chattanooga at 5 p.m Central.

 

In the opening contest of the day, both teams went scoreless through the first four innings, but Murray put the first run on the board as Lexi Jones drove in Cayla Levins with a sacrifice grounder.

 

The Golden Eagles tied the game in the seventh as Callen Griffin drilled a double into right field, sending Hallie Davis home to score and the game into extra innings.

 

Tech put two more runs on the board in the eighth as Aalia Bivens scored on Gabby LaSala's sacrifice fly to right as Raegan Sparks took second. Leigh Ellen Thomas then drove her in with a single down the third base line.

 

MSU added a run in the bottom half of the eighth as Brenna Finck picked up an RBI triple, but the Racers weren't able to capitalize as Danielle Liberatore shut the door.

 

Liberatore picked up her sixth win of the season as she worked the complete eight, allowing two runs on six hits as she walked two and struck out seven.

 

Mason Robinson fell to 19-7, allowing three runs on eight hits in 7 1/3 innings. She walked two and struck out four.

 

In the second contest, Murray took a 2-0 lead through sixth, then Tech tied the game in the seventh as LaSala doubled to left, sending Bayli Cruse home, then Alyssa Richards followed up with a single up the middle to plate LaSala.

 

Tech was unable to get anything going in the top of the eighth, then Murray State used singles from Jessica Twaddle and Jocelynn Rodgers and a sacrifice fly from Madison Culver to get the win.

 

Leigh Ellen Thomas fell to 5-11, allowing three runs on eight hits in 7 1/3 innings, walking two and striking out one.

 

Haven Campbell earned the victory in relief, throwing the final inning-and-a-third, as she struck out two of her four batters faced. The Racer starter, Amber Van Duyse, allowed two runs on 10 hits, walking one and striking out three.